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In a historic decision, the Florida Supreme Court has ruled that lawmakers and legislative staff can give depositions in an ongoing lawsuit challenging Florida’s 2012 redistricting process.

Those maps were challenged by a coalition of groups that argued they favored Republicans, which is at odds with new constitutional amendments aimed at, in part, removing politics from the redistricting process.

After the coalition uncovered emails between legislative staff and third-party political groups, it tried to depose state redistricting staff.

Attorneys for the House and Senate filed a motion arguing legislative staff and lawmakers are protected by “legislative privilege,” or the legal philosophy that staff can’t be taken to court or face deposition for actions taken conducting state business.

A Leon County court sided with the coalition, an opinion that was overturned the First District Court of Appeals.

The 5-2 Supreme Court decision, released Friday, came with strongly worded dissent from Justice Charles Canady, who said the ruling was unprecedented.

“For the first time in the recorded history of our Republic, a court has ruled that state legislators are required to submit to interrogation…oncerning their legislative activities,” he wrote.